He’s spent the last two months listening to people criticize his players and their wanting to play on one team and he’s had it. Not as much with the media and bloggers — although I have yet to receive a bouquet of roses — but with the people in the league.

“Charles Barkley, to me, went way over the top,” Riley said. “I think Charles is probably the only guy in the league that can get away with what he gets away with.

“Calling these guys a bunch of punks is a personal attack. LeBron isn’t that. Dwyane is not, and neither is Chris.”

Then there was former Heat coach Stan Van Gundy — the guy Riley kicked to the curb to pilot the Shaq and Wade train — who wondered why name players wanted to be Wade’s “lap dog.”

“Stan’s out there making comments about Chris Bosh being a lap dog to Dwyane Wade,” Riley said. “I don’t know what happened to some of these guys along the way.”

Riley — like a lot of us, really — have kind of reached the end of the talking point of the summer and want to get to the playing games point of the summer. He knows his team has high expectations and has been labeled the enemy in a lot of quarters, and he’s fine with that.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong in having the great anticipation. And I think that’s one of the keys to developing tremendous enthusiasm. The scarlet letter has been placed on their back for some reason. These guys are going to have to develop a resolve second to none maybe in the history of the NBA…

“Now we’ve got to go out on the court and prove it,” he said. “I don’t look back in regret at what anybody says about us.”

There are people in southern California right in that environment telling Doc, “You don’t want do this.” And one of those reasons is simply LeBron James. He’s been told by people – and I know this – LeBron doesn’t want to be coached.

Don’t get it twisted: Just because people warned Rivers about coaching LeBron doesn’t mean Rivers wanted to avoid coaching LeBron. Not all advice is heeded.

I also think the idea LeBron doesn’t want to be coached is wrong. LeBron is the most important person on all his teams. There’s no getting around that. His coach must work with him, not above him. That’s not the traditional power structure, but LeBron developed productive partnerships with Tyronn Lue and Erik Spoelstra. It can work, as long as the coach doesn’t try to posture as LeBron’s boss. The coach works for LeBron far more than LeBron works for the coach. That’s OK.

And Rivers is OK staying with the Clippers, surely for numerous reasons.

Phoenix Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr. will undergo a minor procedure on his left thumb and miss the rest of the season, league sources told ESPN.

Oubre is expected to make a full recovery in four to six weeks, sources said.

This could be a blessing in disguise for Oubre, who’ll be a restricted free agent this summer. He ends his season on a high note on the court. There’s no opportunity for regression to the mean. This also isn’t an injury that will last long into the offseason.

The 23-year-old Oubre is a versatile defender. When his 3-pointer is falling, he looks really good. In a league that can’t get enough productive wings, he should draw a solid contract.

Kevin Durant gave you the nickname “Mr. Thunder.” Do you think the Thunder should eventually retire No. 35?

It’s their decision to make, but I would certainly think so. He’s meant a ton to Thunder basketball and spent a huge majority of his career here. A lot of these honors are just kind of what the team decides to do, and I think players are appreciative of them. I don’t get too worked up about it. I’ll let other people debate that, but to me, he’s a big part of what we did here.

The Thunder will probably retire Durant’s number. Time heals most wounds, likely including this one.

Durant spent eight seasons in Oklahoma City. He won MVP and made five All-NBA first teams and an All-NBA second team there. He helped the Thunder win 10 playoff series.

No matter when each player retires, Oklahoma City will almost certainly retire Russell Westbrook‘s number first. He’s the one who stayed.

But some time after that, I’d bet on Durant getting his number retired.